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4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. L. JUDsoN. STREET RAILWAY.

. Patented Dec. 8, 1891.

mi nofws wenns co., vwcrwurnm, msmxaran, n. c.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. L. JUDSON.

STREET RAILWAY.

No. 464,614. Patented Deo. 8, 1891.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. L. JUDSON. STREET RAILWAY No. 464,614. Patented'vD'ec. 8, 189-1.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.v W L JUDSON STREET RAILWAY.

1110. 464,614. rami-,611100. 8,1891;

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We. @M44 442m u., morro-1111101, wAsrgmsron, n. c.

` UNrTnD STATES ATENT Fries.

wu'ircoM L. Jonson, or New YORK, N. Y.

STREET-RAI LWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,614, dated December 8, 1891.

Application filed September 25, 1890. Serial No. 366.163. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WHiTooMB L. J UDsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, iu the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street-Railways and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to that class of streetcars wherein the propelling mechanism is carried on the car and is actuated by air, gas, or liquid under pressure contained in a receiver on the car, which is recharged at snitable intervals along the line of travel.

My invention is especially designed for what may be called the air-storage system, wherein compressed air is used as the motive power, the receivers being of comparatively small size and adapted toreceive charges at frequent intervals.

My invention is more particularly directed to the chargingmechanism. An air-main extends along the entire line of the cars travel, and is'supplied with air under pressure from suitable pumping-stations or a general central station. Then constructed for surface roads, pits are placed at the desired intervals of a sufficient depth to receive the charging mechanism and of sufficient length to allow the charge to be made while the car is in motion. The pit is covered by a pair of trapdoors automatically opened by the car. Horizontally lengthwise of the pit extends a trolley-track, constructed in upper and lower fixed sections, the upper of which has a pair of pivoted rails at its extremities for permitting a trolley to pass from one track to the other. The upper track is adapted to raise the trolley under the direction of the forward movement of the car, and for convenience may be called the charging-section. The lower track is adapted to permit the trolley to be returned to its normal position and may be called the return section. Spring-seated on the trolley is a valved nozzle with a convex head, which may be termed the charging-nozzle.7 It is always supported in a vertical position, or, more broadly, in line with the receiving-nozzle carried by the car. This charging-nozzle is connected to the air-main by a exible section of 'sufficient length to permit the nozzle to be moved a sufficient distance to make the charge. To permit the necessary movements of this noz zle, the trolley is pivotally connected to the extremities of a pair of lazy-tongs, the lower ends of which are pivotally mounted in vertical guides rigidly fixed in the pit. These guides are so placed and the lazy-tongs so spaced apart that the inner turns through the outer pair as the nozzle shifts from its starting position to the end of its travel. On the car is a valved bell-mouthed nozzle, which is adapted to register with the charging-nozzle, and may be called the receiving-nozzle, before noted. To effect this registration there is placed on the car, parallel with the receivingnozzle, a vertical movable guide, which, when in its lowermost position, is adapted to engage with a guiding arm or projection on the trolley, and by co-operation therewith carries forward and upwardly the trolley with the nozzle and guides the two nozzles into perfect union. This guide is automaticallyl set by a projection thrown upward from the track by the tread of t-he wheel in co-operation with a pivoted trip-lever carried by the car, which on striking the projection forces the guide into its lowermost position. The guide is returned to its uppermost and normal position by an inclined surface or cam at the foot of the pit. It is held in either position at which it may be set by a spring the line of whose resistance is shifted by the pivoted lever. The trolley,when at the end of its forward or outgoing movement, passes onto one of the pivoted sections of the upper trolley-track, and by its weight forces the pivoted section into an inclined position, which allows it to pass forward into a pocket provided on the lower track for that purpose. This outmostpivoted sectiou is spring-supported,` and after the trolley has passed into the pocket returns to its normal position on the level with the body of the upperl track. The trolleyis then free to return on the lower track. This return movement is accomplished by a weight suspended in the pit connected by a cable IOO passing over suitable sheaves to the end of the trolley. The pivoted section at the head of the track is without a spring and takes the incline as its normal position. The trolley on its return movement lifts this pivoted section or pawl and passes by the same. rlhe valve in the charging-nozzle is opened by the gravity of the car and closed by the pressure of the air. For this purpose the bell-mouthed nozzle on the car has a downwardly-projecting bridge, and the valve on the chargingnozzle has an extended stein which engages with the bridge to open the valve. The pressure in the main, being greater than that in the receiver on the car, will open the valve on the receiving-nozzle and hold it open until the pressures are equal. For opening the trap-doors a lever is pivoted at the head of the pit which, when in its normal position, projects to a sufficient height to be struck by the movable guide on the car when set in its lowermost position. This lever is connected by a bell-crank arm with a chain, which iu turning is connected to angular extensions of the pivoted traps. To assist in its action a weight may be also attached to the chain on the far side of the lever. The trap-doors are suiiiciently heavy on the lip sides oi their pivots to fall into their closedv position by gravity. The part of the pit in which this opening-lever is placed has an extension on the track-level provided with a slot into which the movable guide drops before reaching the trap-doors, so that the doors are opened in advance. It has been stated that to operate this guide a projection is thrown up in the track. This is done by pivoting the same to a fixed support adjacent to one of the rails and providing the same with an extension adapted to be engaged by the flange ot the wheel. The inner flange of the rail is cut away in order to permit this extension to come into the proper position to be engaged by the flange ot' the wheel. The pivoted arm is segmentshaped, and its segment portion passes up through a suitable slot in a bed-plate placed between the rails. Then the cai-has passed, the pivoted projection or stop-lever will fall to its normal position by its own weight. The trap-doors are made in two sets, so as to divide the opening into two sections. The first set have forwardly -projecting lips, which extend under the ends of the second set. Hence when the first set are opened they will open and hold open the second set, while the construction will permit the tirst set to close iinmediately after the passage ot the nozzle between the second set. This is in order not to leave too long an opening in the rear of the nozzle. Then the trap-doors are constructed in this way, there is no opening in the street in the rear of the car. In passing between the traps the weight of the same is sustained by the nozzle.

I have illustrated the invention in the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters refer to like parts throughout.

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation through one of the pits, showing the car in its charging position. Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line X. X of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the pit-section ot' the road-bed. Fig. 4c is a detail in section showing the nozzles and their valves. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the connection ot' the movable guide to the pivoted lever on the car. Fig. G is a sectional elevation of a part of the road-bed and one ofthe trucks, showing the pivoted proj ection. l

A A are the track-rails.

B is the car.

C are the receivers, which, as shown, are arranged under the seats and connected by a cross-pipe C under the car-body.

D is the receiving-nozzle connected with the cross-pipe C.

E is the movable guide mounted in straps e, fixed to the truck.

F is the pivoted trip-lever mounted in hangers F', tlxed to the truck and provided with a hole f for the passage of a connecting-rod E', pivotally connected to the guide E.

E is the resistancc-springon the connecting-rod E between the shaft of the lever F and the guide.

G is the pit.

G is the air-main. l tapping the same.

Il is the charging-nozzle; l, the trolley; g, the flexible section connecting the chargingnozzle with the air-pipe G.

L is the lower section of the trolley-track, an d L the upper section thereof, both secured to bed-blocks CL, projecting from the sides ofthe pit. Each track is composed of apairof rails spaced apart suiiiciently far to permit the passage of the nozzle.

l is the pivoted section at the head of the track, and Z is the pivoted section at the foot of the same. The latter is heldin its normal position by a spring l. The lower section is dipped cr curved at' its foot to form a pocket L.

K is a guide-arm fixed to the trolleyT and provided with an anti-friction roller K atits upper end.

lll is theouter pair of lazy-tong bars, and M the inner pair. The outer pair are pivotally connected at their upper ends to the upper part ot' the trolley, and the inner to the lower part of the same. At the lower ends the outer pair are pivoted to cross-heads N, which slide in verticalguides O, fixed in the pit, and the inner pair are pivoted at the lower ends to cross-heads N', movable in vertical guides O. The outer and inner pair of arms are pivotally connected by links P. This pair of arms therefor, with their connecting-links, make up a lazy-tong carrier or pivoted lever, which `permits the trolley to make its complete movement and keeps it always in the vertical position.

Q is the weight on cable Q', which is attached to the end wall ot the pit and at the other end to the trolley, passing over sheaves .r q. r lt R are the trap-doors pivotally secured at is the bent section IOO ITO

their ends iu suitable bearings a, fixed in the road-bed and provided with angular extensions or crank-arms R'.

R are the weights attached by chains R to the cranks R.

The first set of traps are provided with projecting lips r, which project under the ends of the second set, as before described.

S is the trap-opening lever at the head of the pit, provided with a crank-arm S', connected to the chain R".

S is a brace-rod connecting S and S.

S is the cap-plate at the head of the pit, slotted in line with the meeting-point of the trap doors and provided with au inclined mouth or guideway surface S.

T is the pivoted stop in the road-bed, pivoted to a suitable support near the rail and provided with an extension T ,located in the path of the wheel-flange, the inner flange ofthe rail being cut away for the purpose. This pivoted stop has a segment-extension or crank-arm T, which, when the stop is in its uppermost position, engages with the trip-lever F on the car.

D is the valve in the bell-mouthed receiving-nozzle D. d is the projecting central bridge fixed in said nozzle.

H is the valve in the charging-nozzle H, provided with the extended stem h.

U is the inclined cam-surface at the foot of the pit for restoring the movable guide to its normal position. This lies under a slotted bed-plate U.

The operation is as follows: When a wheel of the forward truck strikes the stop-lever projection T, its arm T is thrown up in engagement with the pivoted trip F, which, acting through the connecting-rod E', throws down the movable guide E into its lowermost position. In this movement of the lever F the connecting-rod E slides through the pivoted shaft and leaves the spring, so that its line of resistance is below the horizontal plane through said shaft. Hence the spring will tend to hold and will hold the movable guide in its lowermost position. Vthen this guide is returned by the cam-surface U at the foot of the pit, this connecting-rod is shifted to a point above the horizontal plane through the shaft of the lever F. the guide in its uppermost position and the pivoted lever in its forward position. This guide E, being in its lowermost position, will be directed by the mouth S into the slot in the plate S and as it moves forward it will engage the projecting end of the trap-opening lever S, opening up the trap-doors. The guide E engages the guide-arm K on the trolley K and carries the sanne forward up the incline Zonto the upper track L', the nozzles thereby being made to unite, and the track L at. such elevation as to render the weight of the car available to make a tight joint. Inasmuch as the car is in motion the trolley must be carried upward as well as forward, and inasmuch as the guide E is parallelwith Hence it will then hold drops into the pocket L and the car passes forward, raising the guide E, as before described. The trap-doors close by their own weight, thereby restoring; the trap-opening lever S to its normal position. Upon the trolley reaching the pocket the pivoted section Z returns to its normal position, and the weight Q. comes into effect, restoring the trolley by the Llower track to its normal position near the head of the pit. The lazy-tongs in 'which the trolley is mounted and the length of the flexible section g permit this movement from the head to the foot of the pit and return, as before described. These pits do not need to be more than about twelve feet in length, as the charge can be made in eight seconds or less. It will be seen that this charging mechanism is entirely automatic, being controlled from the car without requiring any attention whatsoever on the part of the operator. The charge can be taken, if so desired, under compara' tively full speed; but it will ordinarily' be found best to go over the chargingsection at a slow rate of speed. Of course the car can be stopped, if necessary, in its mid-position. The general advantages of charging-stations of this'character are well known, as it enables the use of low-pressure and small-volume receivers. y

lVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

l. The combination, with the car and the air-main extending along the line of travel, of the receiving-nozzle on the car, the movable nozzle communicating with the main, a nozzle-guide located on the car parallel With the receiving-nozzle, and a guiding arm er proj ection on the charging-nozzle for engagement with said guide to effect registration of the nozzles.

2. The combination, with the car carrying the receiving-nozzle, of the trolley carrying the charging-nozzle, and the tracks for the trolley adjacent to the cars travel, and a nozzle-guide on the car adapted to engage said trolley and guide the nozzles together.

3. The combination, with the car having a receiving-nozzle, of the trolley-track composed IOS of charging and return sections, the trolley having a charging-nozzle and movable on Said tracks, a projection on the car for engagement with said trolley to effect its movement on the charging-section, and means for returning the trolley to its normal position.

4. The combination,with the trolley-track, the charging-nozzle thereon connected to the air-main by a flexible section, and a lazy-tongs for supporting the nozzle in a Vertical position throughout its to-and-fro movement.

5. The combination, with the car, of the movable nozzle-guide mounted thereon, a pivoted lever on the car for moving the guide, and a projection or tripping device in the line ot travel for engagement with the pivoted lcver to set the nozzle-guide.

6. The combination, with the car having the movable guide, ot' the pivoted lever on the car connected to said guide, and the pivoted projection in the road-bed having an extension in the path .of the wheel-flange, whereby the wheel is made to throw up the projection.

7. The combination, with the movable guide on the car, of the pivoted lever for moving the same, the conuectingrod pivotally connected to the guide and passing through ahole in the pivotal shaft of said lever, and a resistancespring on said connecting-rod between the guide and the shaft, whereby thespring is made to hold the guide in whichever of its` extreme positions it may be set.

8. The combination, with a movable car, of the spring-held movable guide E, mounted on the car, and an inclined cam-surface in the road-bed for returning the guide to its normal position.

9. The combination, with the pivoted traps, ot an opening-lever connected therewith proj ecting into the path of the car, and a projection on the car for engagement therewith to open the traps.

10. The traps for the charging-pits constructed in sections, each pairof traps having extended lips at their forward ends projecting under the rear ends of the traps of the next adjacent section, substantially as and for the purpose described.

l1. rThe combination, with the trolley-track, of the trolleyT movable thereon and the counter-weight and cable connected to the trolleyr for returning the same to its normal position.

l2. The combination, with the trolley-track, ot the trolley movable thereon, the chargingnozzle on the trolley, the flexible section connecting the same with the air-main, the lazytongs for supporting the nozzle inils vertical position, and the weight and chains for etfecting the ret urn movement, substantially as described.

18. The combination, with the pivoted traps closableby theirown weight, of the trapopen ing` lever pivoted at the head of the pit and a connection from the traps to tl1elever,where by the forward movement of the lever under the action of the car opens the traps and the closing of the traps returns the lever to its normal position.

14. The combination, with the car, of the movable guide o1' projection thereon, the pivoted trip-lever for moving the guide, the stoplever in the road-bed provided with an exten sion into the path of the wheel-flange, and the trap-openin g lever engageable with said guide when set by the trip for opening the traps.

15. The combination, with a rock-shaft, of a body movable in fixed guides at right angles to said shaft, a connecting-rod having one end working freely through a guide on said shaft and having its other end pivotally connected to said body, and a resistancesprng on said rod between the shaft and the body, whereby the spring maybe made tohold the body in anyposition which brings theline of resistance above or below a line at right angles to the rock shaft.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VHITCOl\[B L. JUDSON.

Witnesses:

.l-l. L. EARLE, OSWALD G. BoYLE. 

